1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an automatic foldable umbrella, more particularly to a safely operable handle device for an automatic foldable umbrella.
2. Description of the Related Art
Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional automatic umbrella capable of automatic opening and closing disclosed in Taiwanese Utility Model Publication No. 354874 is shown to include a frame 1, an opening spring 2 mounted in a central shaft 101 of the frame 1, a handgrip 3 mounted on a lower end of the central shaft 101, a control unit 4 mounted in the handgrip 3, and a transmitting mechanism 5 coupling the handgrip 3 to the frame 1. The frame 1 includes the central shaft 101, which has a plurality of telescopic shaft sections, a top hub 102 secured on an uppermost end of the central shaft 101, a runner 103 slidably mounted on the central shaft 101, and a plurality of ribs 104 pivotally mounted between the top hub 102 and the runner 103. The control unit 4 has a biased lever 401 pivotally mounted on the handgrip 3, and a button 402 operable to move the lever 401 such that, when the central shaft 101 is telescopically folded, the lever 401 is brought to engage an upper shaft section 101′, and such that, when the button 402 is pressed, the lever 401 is disengaged from the upper shaft section 101′ so that the shaft sections of the central shaft 101 are extended upwardly by means of the opening spring 2, and the runner 103 is then moved toward the top hub 102 by means of the transmitting mechanism 5 so as to spread the ribs 104 for opening the umbrella. When it is desired to close the umbrella, the button 402 is pressed, and a lower end of the lever 401 is brought to move a biased plate 403 so as to release a retaining member 501 of the transmitting mechanism 5 from the biased plate 403 to thereby permit downward movement of the runner 103 for collapsing the ribs 104. Subsequently, the central shaft 101 can be pushed down and folded until the upper shaft section 101′ reaches the lever 401 and is retained thereby.
However, when pushing down the central shaft 101 for folding the same, the user needs to apply a relatively large force to the central shaft 101 to overcome a biasing action of the opening spring 2. If the user inadvertently lets the umbrella slip from his/her grasp during pushing, the central shaft 101 may extend and the ribs 104 may spread instantly, which may result in damage to the umbrella and injury to the user and people nearby.